This training will walk through our common tools (13) that emerge from theories and theorists of difference and diversity which can be applied practically for all client work and in your own self-development. These exercises, reflections, and case examples are designed to move you towards embedding difference, diversity, and inclusion as standard in self, therapy, and your profession.
We explore theories, structural narratives (psycho-social-structural), identity development, working with experiences of marginalisation, inter-identity relationships, power dynamics, cocreated helping, group trauma, worldviews, justice, allyship and empowerment action, and factors associated with negative and harmful experiences that recreate exclusion and marginalisation. By being able to apply these tools and skills you will develop foundational knowledge and practical skills in building a more just, inclusive, complete, and ever-improving psychological practice, whether working with clients and their experiences of otherness, marginalisation, and exclusion, within the therapeutic practice of one or within a mental health organisation.
DD&M considers the social context, identity, otherness, and empowerment aspects of working with difference and diversity, especially for clients who occupy diverse intersectional identities of gender, sexuality, trans, race, culture, disability, neurodivergence, religion, nationality, and class. Twelve critical tools are explored for self-development and working with DD&M in practice.
In this course, we help you develop knowledge, awareness, and skills in working with your own and client’s diverse identities, such as building the relationship, focusing in on identity-related experiences, structural competence, and the impact of stress associated with marginalisation. This training will also provide a contemporary, up-to-date overview of working with diverse groups as well as common and different factors associated with client presentations. We will also reflect on the solutions and challenges of building an all-inclusive practice.
This course is based on our (#TADF) openly available, embedded and integrated therapy curriculum used by several training providers (please enquire for further information at: tadf.co.uk)
Background
It is well known that diversity training is often an ‘Other’ and/or time limited part of training. In psychological training, the therapist can often be left without the knowledge and skills necessary for them to begin integrating and working within an DD&M as standard frame. The link between the client’s social location, identity, worldview, discrimination, otherness, and difficulties may never be made. This can leave an important factor out of therapy and consequently lead to a shortfall in the service provided or, worse, negative or even harmful experiences. This course aims to orient you towards a ‘diversity integrated as standard’ model of practice which goes to the roots of how to embed DD&M into therapeutic practice.
Overview
The training is structured into eleven units with discussions, case examples, and practical interventions and strategies provided throughout. There will be opportunities to ask questions, bring in your own experiences of practice, and gain insight from therapists with experience of integrating DD&M within therapy, in training, and in various helping professions.
- Developing the Skills for Integrated, Whole & Embedded DD&M Practice
- Foundation Tools 1 : Modality, Difference, Social Location, WorldViews, Discovering Contexts, and Developing Cross-Identity relationships
- Foundation Tools 2: Marginalisation, Identity, Visibility, Acculturation, Structural Narratives (4XI’s of Oppression), Stress and Trauma, Review of Group Specific Therapeutic Themes
- Harm in Therapy: Iatrogenic, individual, group, cultural and systemic views of harm, stagnation and negative experiences
- Applying DD&M Systemically: A Simulation of Inadvertent Systemic Discrimination and its Impact on Client Experiences and Outcomes
- The Road Ahead: Towards whole unconscious practice : Mind-Body & Structural Therapy
Audience
This training is for anyone involved in the mental health profession. From psychological practitioners, such as counsellors, psychotherapists, and psychologists, through to all organisation staff who are involved in governing or delivering therapeutic services such as training organisations and membership bodies. It is also suitable for trainee therapeutic practitioners.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will:
- Be able to understand and explain DD&M concepts and theories (Psyho-Social-Spiritual-Structural).
- Understand how to integrate DD&M into therapeutic practice.
- Understand the importance of applying DD&M values and principles in ameliorating suffering and in providing an equitable therapeutic service.
- Be able to understand and explain the mental and physical impact of oppression, marginalisation, stress, and discrimination on intersecting majority diverse groups (including women).
- Be able to consider within group cultural othering experiences e.g. Male Otherness
- Understand high-level history and current challenges of MMG Groups* such as based on race, disability, neurodivergence, sexuality and gender.
- Build a deeper understanding of challenges that various intersecting majority diverse groups face and, thus, implications for therapeutic practice and in mental health provision.
- Learn how harm in therapy can be systemically, culturally, and individually mediated.
- Be better equipped to assess and conceptualise experiences of structural discrimination and oppression as part of a client’s overall problem presentation.
- Understand the importance of the 12 tools of DD&M and how they can be applied in practice
- Learn DD&M ideas, skills and interventions to help build the relationship, and help clients narrative relevant aspects of their contextual experiences of marginalisation and discrimination associated with their intersecting social identities.
- Learn common mistakes therapists make in developing the majority diverse relationship which forms (often invisible) barriers to the relationship and impacts outcomes.
- Be better prepared to help clients manage potentially unsafe environments, client autonomous empowerment, allyship, and anti-discrimination strategies within the room as well as within service provision.
- Be able to understand and practically apply concepts and theories of DD&M practice at a systemic level, whether a practice of “one” or within an organisational setting.
- Be able to situate your learning and reflect on your own personal worldview and call to action.
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